Roy Keane was left raging in the Sky Sports studio following an incident involving Rasmus Hojlund and Kyle Walker in the Manchester derby with the latter feigning injury after a supposed headbutt
A furious Roy Keane has savaged Kyle Walker after the Manchester City defender seemed to feign injury during a confrontation in the Manchester derby.
Tempers threatened to boil over at the end of the first half in Sunday’s clash as Rasmus Hojlund and Walker went head to head after the Manchester United striker had been thrown to the turf during an aerial challenge by the England defender.
Hojlund angrily went after Walker following the incident, getting in Walker’s face before the City man threw himself to the ground, sparking a 22-man melee.
Replays showed that there was no forward motion from Hojlund, who was booked alongside Walker for his part in the clash. But Keane was left seething in the Sky Sports studio at the break after watching the incident back.
When Keane was asked if he’d have given a red card for the incident by Super Sunday host Kelly Cates, he retorted: “Yeah, to Walker! You don’t mind a bit or this in the game, a bit of argie-bargie, of course. He’s obviously been blocked but Walker…of course it’s a foul. It’s a free-kick and Hojlund’s not happy, that’s fine.
“But then he goes over and how can Walker [go down]. Walker must be embarrassed. He must be embarrassed to go down like that – an experienced player.
“I don’t know the guy, but I’m embarrassed for him. It’s embarrassing.”
Micah Richards then chimed in, saying: “He’s better than that”. But Keane was having none of it and brutally clapped back: “I’m not so sure.”
Keane’s former Manchester United team-mate, Gary Neville, also criticised Walker’s conduct whilst commentating on the incident.
He said: “It’s poor from Kyle Walker. He goes down when he realises there might have been contact. I think he will be a little bit embarrassed when he sees that back.”
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean explained on the commentary feed that there was no case to answer in terms of a potential red card, adding: “There is no forward movement from the Manchester United player. This isn’t violent conduct.”
